Franklin Expedition January 26, 2016

Oakville Conference Centre

Parks Canada Underwater Archaeologist – Marc-André Bernier

The Sir John Franklin Expedition SOLD OUT – wait list available.

The Search for & Discovery of HMS Erebus & HMS Terror

In 1845, explorer Sir John Franklin set sail from England with two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, in search of a Northwest Passage across what is now Canada’s Arctic. The ships and crews vanished and over the years dozens of search expeditions have set sail to try to find them.

A breakthrough was made in September 2014 when an expedition led by Parks Canada discovered the wreck of HMS Erebus, in the south of Victoria Island in Nunavut. A second breakthrough happened in September 2016, when HMS Terror was found in Terror Bay, further north.

Marc-André Bernier has worked as the Manager of Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Team since 2008. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Marc-André’s great interest in history and archaeology led him to pursue a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Greek Archaeology. He also holds a diploma in Education, which aligns with his passion for sharing archaeological stories with the public.

Since joining the Underwater Archaeology Team in 1990, Marc-André has worked on and directed many shipwreck projects in Canada and abroad, including France, the United States, Mexico and Argentina. More recently, Marc-André’s team led the search for the missing ships the 1845 Franklin Expedition. In 2014, he was one of the first people to see and dive on the long-lost HMS Erebus after its discovery in the Canadian Arctic. Since then he has participated in subsequent return archaeological expeditions to the Erebus, and most recently the examination of the newly discovered wreck of HMS Terror in September 2016.